There shall be one law for you, whether a stranger or citizen of the land. (Num 9:14)
This line from this week’s Torah portion Beha’alotecha speaks to the laws of Passover, relayed again in this section. Specifically, there is a question asked of Moses as to what happens when a household of the Israelites is unable to offer the Passover sacrifice due to ritual impurity…would they simply be left out of this important communal ritual? The answer is indeed no – not that they would offer the sacrifice when they are ritually impure, but instead the community would implement the creation of Pesach Sheini – a second Passover, held on the full moon of the next month. And that the law would be implemented for native Israelites (citizens of the land) and those who are part of the community otherwise.
We see here a society where all are included no matter their “citizenship” status. This is the way of Torah. The way of G-d, according to our tradition. This is not the way of ICE!
And yet, it would be a few generations later that the Israelites would ask for a human king. Perhaps jealous of and feeling insecure in their difference, this request, at the time of the prophet Shmuel (Samuel). Shmuel warned them of the dangers of having a king – they would force your children into service of the crown alone and take from you and give it to their cronies. And even with this warning, the people still chose a king. He continued saying “the day will come when you cry out because of the king whom you yourselves have chosen…” And no, in another context, we call out No Kings!
Further, let us turn our attention this weekend to the March to Gaza on Sunday which began building community in Cairo yesterday. And this Shabbat has been declared Food Aid for Gaza Shabbat. We read also in this week’s portion: The Israelites wept and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish that we used to eat free in Mitzrayim: the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. Now our gullets are shriveled. There is nothing at all! Nothing but this manna to look to!” (Numbers 11:4-6)
May we remember times when food was abundant for all, when our ancestors protested against corrupt kings, when citizen and immigrant were included in society. May Torah fuel our work through this weekend and beyond.
Shabbat shalom,
R’ David
This line from this week’s Torah portion Beha’alotecha speaks to the laws of Passover, relayed again in this section. Specifically, there is a question asked of Moses as to what happens when a household of the Israelites is unable to offer the Passover sacrifice due to ritual impurity…would they simply be left out of this important communal ritual? The answer is indeed no – not that they would offer the sacrifice when they are ritually impure, but instead the community would implement the creation of Pesach Sheini – a second Passover, held on the full moon of the next month. And that the law would be implemented for native Israelites (citizens of the land) and those who are part of the community otherwise.
We see here a society where all are included no matter their “citizenship” status. This is the way of Torah. The way of G-d, according to our tradition. This is not the way of ICE!
And yet, it would be a few generations later that the Israelites would ask for a human king. Perhaps jealous of and feeling insecure in their difference, this request, at the time of the prophet Shmuel (Samuel). Shmuel warned them of the dangers of having a king – they would force your children into service of the crown alone and take from you and give it to their cronies. And even with this warning, the people still chose a king. He continued saying “the day will come when you cry out because of the king whom you yourselves have chosen…” And no, in another context, we call out No Kings!
Further, let us turn our attention this weekend to the March to Gaza on Sunday which began building community in Cairo yesterday. And this Shabbat has been declared Food Aid for Gaza Shabbat. We read also in this week’s portion: The Israelites wept and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish that we used to eat free in Mitzrayim: the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. Now our gullets are shriveled. There is nothing at all! Nothing but this manna to look to!” (Numbers 11:4-6)
May we remember times when food was abundant for all, when our ancestors protested against corrupt kings, when citizen and immigrant were included in society. May Torah fuel our work through this weekend and beyond.
Shabbat shalom,
R’ David
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